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Chronicla (Lorica)
This is my outline for a story to be set in Lorica, namely, Mage. Characters *'Qura Tranquilae', 14 (just turned), protagonist, who lives in Bahasa, daughter and only child to Teal and Sara. She is mellow, intelligent, inexperienced, and concise. *'Tyl Aria', 14, sidekick and Conjuress, who lives in the same town as Qura, daughter to Anthony and Christina. She is caring, philosophic, forward-looking, and practical. *'Richard En', 15, sidekick and tramp/hunter, who leads a gang in Oraganta. He is righteous, heroic, athletic, and talkative. Part 1: At Odds With Her Destiny :Planning: | Writing: Chapter 1: Turning of Age *We start with Qura and her long-time friend Tyl, both in a heated game of Magick (a magic-based card game). ::It's also one of children's favorite games - but frowned upon by parents who are worried they'll get 'ideas'. *Just as Qura is about to win, their parents berate them for playing Magick and end the party early. Tyl leaves. *Qura returns to studying Prismatic; she already knows the material well, has even begun developing mana... ::Prismatic is the main religious tome of Lorica which sets social rules and is required for using air magic (priesthood). *Qura's parents have a talk with Qura about Magick, which quickly heats into an argument about becoming a Mage. ::Qura argues that her dream is to be a mage - and talks about how she already has "it all planned out". *Sara also states that no one (most people) knows just what being a mage entails, while being a wife is obvious. *Qura can't stand staying in the family anymore and losing her freedom, later takes her belongings, and runs away. Chapter 2: Flight of the Clipped Bird *Now deep in the woods, Qura is at peace with nature, feeling utterly free from parental rules and confines. *She arrives at the edge of a lake and, while taking a late-evening bath, finds a Pulsphere and gets blinded. *It's been hours of trekking and dark, so she starts a fire and eats; looking at her map dismays her (no progress). *Then she hears the sounds of wolves - ill omen in wild areas - and panics, running off blindly without her stuff. *Qura, terrified, gets chased up a tree by a pack of wolves. The wolves take turns watching. Qura makes to sleep. ::Qura realizes that being a girl in a male-dom. society means she can't fend for herself - her dreams are crushed. *Morning. The wolves are gone. She almost gets down - and they pounce back. A long wait ensues. Qura is hungry. *Qura vows that if the deity allows her to survive she will study avidly; or, serve whoever rescues her. *Seeing a campfire a long way off, she takes to constantly screaming for help until she goes hoarse. ::Qura also uses the Pulsphere as a beacon. *Richard (at the campfire) hears and comes to her aid. He easily dispatches of the wolves via channeling. *Although Richard is on his way to Oraganta, he escorts Qura back to Bahasa, gentleman-like. Chapter 3: Be Witch Or Warlock *Morning. Qura and Richard arrive at Bahasa but are diverted by the cries of a 'rain shaman' (target of a chant). *The priests won't stand for this, so high priest Old Randy takes the challenge, using air magic to bring a drizzle. *Qura and co. watch with awe as the 'rain shaman' brings a downpour out of clear sky, but also are suspicious of him. *Amazed, Qura and several others rush to ask the shaman questions, but the shaman acts like he's very secretive. *Priests convict the shaman a warlock. He is tied to the stake but the fire doesn't harm him. ::Qura is frightened by the prospect of becoming a Mage only to be thus executed. *Since Protect From Fire is air magic, 'obviously' he is trusted by the deities. Then the priests chop his head off. *Teal is attracted by the commotion and goes there. He finds Qura and drags her unhappily home. Chapter 4: Return to Hell *At home Qura tries to argue with her parents to justify why she left but they stubbornly won't listen. *Teal orders Qura to shut up, she won't listen so he flogs her into submission, forces a blood ritual upon her. *Teal says that Qura's free spirit has to be tamed; besides, he's already found Qura a husband. *Qura tries to resist. Furious, Teal punishes Qura via blood magic, then orders her to cook lunch and sew her skirt. ::Qura finds such work denigrating and futile, and Sara shouts at her when she works carelessly (thinking of Maging). *Qura weeps, wondering why she had to have the bad luck of being a girl in a male-dom. society. *Shortly after lunch parents take Qura to the Elysants. She is afraid of being with strangers (and her future masters). ::Qura had been told by Teal to behave or she would be punished, which is at odds with Qura's 'free' personality. *They start off by having Qura sing and dance for them. While Qura is embarrassed, Teal and the Elysants enjoy it. *Paul Elysant (the husband-to-be) tries to court Qura (who isn't responsive); her parents say she will adjust in time. *Then Qura is told to look after and teach the family's youngest, 8-year-old Nick Elysant, as her brideshow. Chapter 5: Brideshow *Noon. Qura (who can read a bit) pores over an algebra primer, teaching Nick Elysant something as she learns. ::In the process Qura learns a lot about fundamental algebra - something only constructors/carpenters usually learn. ::Brideshow: practice of showing that Qura is worthy of fetching a high bride-price, and Qura has to act wifely. ::Qura had been ordered to do womanly chores around the house for two months, and she hates every moment of it. *Her parents come to escort Qura home. For the umpteenth time Sara tells Qura how she is to behave as a wife. ::After having seen what Magick (the game) has to offer, it's impossible for Qura to be content as a submissive wife. *The Elysants cart in a sufficient bride-price and Qura's parents decide to accept the offer. *Her parents then set off for the Elysants to accept. Tyl is surprised, rushes to Qura to see if she's okay. Chapter 6: To Leave Or To Stay *Tyl is shocked to find Qura chained, and rushes off to get a lock-picker, who quickly sets Qura free. *But Qura locks herself back up and startles Tyl by saying that her parents were right; there's only two paths. *Tyl then tries to reason with Qura, who knows there's few things a girl can become but wants to be a Mage. *Tyl tells her about the premier Academy at Invara (for channeling) and suggests they go there one day. *Qura knows she can't successfully run away, but the priesthood would offer her safety and welcome. *Qura runs to Bahasa's Temple and is welcomed by the priest at the gate. Part 2: Striking Off On Her Own :Planning: | Writing: Chapter 7: Nothing But Thin Air *Qura undergoes the priest induction ceremony in front of the other priests of the Temple of Bahasa. *She is given the role of gate watcher (greeting arrivals to the Temple). Teal, looking for Qura, finds her there. *In anger Teal strikes her down with blood magic - but is smitten by the head priest's (Old Randy) air magic. ::Teal is told that while Qura is on Temple property she shall be protected by the priesthood - Teal backs down. *That night Qura is given a chance to meditate and study Prismatic (which slowly raises her 'mana' score). *The next morning Qura and a few others weed and water the Temple's gardens and clean its property. ::Qura can't stand the labor required for this and starts to doubt whether this was a good idea. *There are also seminars by the priesthood regarding various passages in Prismatic. *These discussions only cause more questions in Qura's mind, and she finds herself debating the priests on them. *Two weeks later, Qura still hasn't made much headway resolving those problems and is less believing of the text. ::Every day is pretty much the same and soon it has lost its excitement. Qura is bored - and tired from the labor. ::Meditation and studies - which had seemed interesting - were now required and hence unsustainable. *Qura is finally assigned a mentor to teach her some basic air magic (blessings). They're very weak and draining. *Qura doesn't see how at this rate she can ever become a Mage as she envisions it, and brings this up to him. *The mentor (a priest) accuses Qura of wishful thinking - they argue and Qura realizes this isn't what she wants. Chapter 8: The Journey Begins *Qura leaves the Temple, finds Tyl at her house, tells her her situation, and Tyl decides to leave to help Qura. ::Tyl points out that Teal can easily scry Qura via blood magic, but Qura says Teal won't harm her. *They get supplies, then set off on foot on the road to the next village (they are headed for Invara). *Along the way Tyl teaches Qura what little she knows about channeling (which Invara is premier for). ::Knowing the Teals and Elysants will look for Qura, they take no rest. By evening they have rode to the next town. *They get dinner and a spot at an inn. Inside, Qura practices her art some more. Chapter 9: Interception *Night. The parents of all 3 families arrive on horseback. Teal uses blood magic to locate and stun Qura. *Tyl realizes who's here and quickly puts Qura on a horse, and leads it out of village to avoid pursuers. ::She also knocks Qura unconscious so that pain won't cause Qura to scream out. ::The pursuers comb the village and, upon finding them, take them captive. Anthony subdues Tyl to blood magic. *Qura returns to consciousness in a hospital as several healers pass healing diamonds over her body. ::It was already afternoon. The parents tirade the girls, but Paul Elysant asks to have a talk with them. *Paul and Qura are put in the same room, and Qura is chained. That night Paul has a heart-to-heart talk with her. *(secretly) Hoping to win Qura's heart, next morn Paul frees them both and goes with them to Oraganta. *Shortly thereafter their parents catch up with them, and Paul convinces them he knows what he's doing. *Paul offers to cancel the marriage if Qura is able to support herself. She takes up the challenge. Chapter 10: Fall Of Innocence ::Arrival at another village along the way. The three go looking for jobs separately. *Tyl is too "fresh" or weak or amateur to find an entry level job as a tailor, farm hand, aide, herbalist, etc. *She realizes that getting a job is incredibly time-consuming and tedious, thinks her parents might be right after all. *Tyl finally comes across a restaurant and temps as a waitress, paying a ripoff 50g for a worthless uniform (IOU). *The restaurant work is just as hard, all tips must be given to the boss, and the boss ill-treats her as well. ::Being a waitress is barely better than being a slave - Tyl is forced to be subservient to customers. *Tyl breaks several teapots by accident and is forced to pay 25g for them (IOU) and is fired without any pay. *Her uniform is confiscated. In protest, Tyl uses her channeling to attack the boss. The boss calls the guards. *The guards easily subdue Tyl and shut her in the same prison cell as other criminals. They abuse and terrify her. *Paul comes to the rescue, paying off Tyl's debts. Tyl realizes she doesn't have a path outside of marriage. *Qura returns, showing the money she earned from working as a governess. Tyl has a surge of hope. ::Qura mentions the various things she taught (and learned) at her job (mostly algebra and geometry). Chapter 11: Breaking Away *A week later, they get to Oraganta, sustaining themselves as tramps. They tour Oraganta's large Temple. *Qura enters to see if she can become a vestal virgin. Paul won't let this happen and scars her, ruining her chances. *This makes them sore enemies. Qura is distrustful of Paul, and with Tyl they run off to another tavern that night. ::Their parents are notified by blood magic of their escape, and set out by horse once again to intercept them. Chapter 12: Finding Friends and Family *Qura and Tyl find refuge in Richard's hideout and are welcomed and introduced to the gang. *Richard gives Qura money and an escort to go to a tailor's and get proper (better) clothes. *For the first time in weeks, Qura is treated to a feast (gang member induction) and eats like a pig. *While Qura massages Richard's back, the gangsters tell each other what they did or saw that day. *Qura then tells the others her story, says she's interested in magic. Richard mentions a friend who's an alchemist. *Richard decides to ride off with Qura to nearby Telia, making Michael his temporary lieutenant. *After packing their belongings and getting supplies (and healing gems), the trio ride north. Part 3: Traveling With Her Friends :Planning: | Writing: Chapter 13: Alchemy *Two days later the trio have arrived at Telia and stay over at Richard's friend Leonardo's house. *Introductions; they chat like old friends, and Qura and Tyl reaffirm their intention of studying at Invara. *Leonardo introduces Qura and Tel to what he's been working on: analyzing the properties of various stones. ::Intro to faera-rocks such as Nethicite, Genicite, Ossilocite, etc., but not realizing their true meaning. *Being an alchemist, Leonardo spends a considerable amount of time teaching Qura and Tyl about chemistry. *They depart, but receive several vials of certain faera-rocks in case they ever learn more about magic. Chapter 14: ?